Chapter Text
"Are you sure about this?"
"Yes, John I am. I've got to see them and get answers." I finished packing up all my belongings. John stood behind me, concerned. We both know my family. We know the hate I carry for them. I closed the zipper on the bag. I smiled up at him.
"You don't have to do that. No one's forcing you."
I frowned, "I know, John. I know. It's not that. I want to see them. I need closure."
He kissed me, "Well okay, then. Call me if you need anything. Okay?"
"I'll call you later on tonight. Love you." I kissed him.
"Love you too."
It didn't take me long to reach my parents' new house. The second I got there, Conrad was standing at the door, grinning at me, "Hi Conrad."
"Ridley, I haven't seen you in ages. How long's it been? I don't even remember the last time." It wasn't Conrad who convinced me. It was my older brothers. Riley and Callum. I had run into them a couple years ago. They apologised and we all got to talking. It was a few years ago when they started inviting back for family gatherings. I continued to say no each and every time. I didn't want to, but I finally agree to. Not something I would do, but it would only be for a night. One night. I can last one night.
"I know. I know. Can you just let me in?"
"Sure, sis. Whatever suits you." Yeah, not the Conrad I knew. He gestured me to come in. So I did.
Once we entered, Conrad announced my arrival. Then I heard my parents scramming themselves down the hallway. Down towards me, "Ridley? Wow you've grown. Look Jessie, our little baby girl finally decided to show up," She embraced me in a hug, "You know we've been searching for you ever since we left you. Look I'm sorry for that and what we did. Especially what you found out all those years ago."
"Mare, let go of her, you can tell she's uncomfortable."
"Why though? I haven't hugged since she was a little girl. She's changed a lot since then."
Conrad pushed himself into the conversation, "Yeah, she's got a family of her own."
"You have kids?" My mother asked me.
I nodded, "Two teenagers. A thirteen and a sixteen year-old."
"I'm so proud of you." She gave me another big hug.
"That's enough." I pulled away from the hug.
"Callum, Riley, how about you two show your sister to one of the guest rooms." The two of them nodded as they directed me to the guest room. I dumped my one suitcase on the bed. The two of them stood at the door.
"Why'd you finally agree?" Callum said after a couple minutes of silence.
"I don't know, I guess I just needed a break."
"What Grant bullying Halley way to often?" Riley joked. It was true though.
I laughed, "Sort of. He's wanting to learn how to fly a plane. He's still young though."
"He keeps begging does he?" Callum asked me.
I nodded, "Every morning, every meal time, every night and every chance he gets."
"Doesn't he also ask John."
I nodded, "Yep, constantly. It's been getting very annoying lately. Neither of us can catch a break."
"KIDS, DINNER!" We heard mother shouting from down the hall. We all looked at each other. It's all coming back to me. The dinner. The chatter. The loud boys basically screaming. It's not really that much different than on Tracy Island. Though it was much quieter on Tracy Island than here. It was just different here. It didn't feel the same than it was over 3 decades ago. The food was different. The atmosphere was different...then bam.
I awoke in a hospital bed. John by my side, "Hey."
"John, what happened?" I tried to sit up.
"The doctors said to stay lying down."
"John, what happened?"
"You passed out. You must have eaten something with turkey." Of course, I remember. It was a traditional turkey roast. Why didn't I realise?
"How long ago?"
"That was a week ago."
"You were here all this time."
"So was Gordon, but they needed him." Then at that moment, Gordon ran into the hospital room.
"Ridley, your awake. When did you wake up?"
"Like a couple minutes ago. Don't worry Gordon."
"I wasn't." Later that afternoon, I rested. John and Halley were in the room with me. She was doing homework and I could hear John helping her with it. I was in the hospital bed for a couple days. Eventually I got paralysed. Nothing helped. I was assured that it was temporary and that I could walk in a matter of days. Two weeks later that all changed. All I saw was light. A huge light in my way. The monitors beside me were beeping. All I could do was focus on John's voice and what he was saying.
"Ridley, it's going to be alright. Okay? I love you." Then darkness.